Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread (with honey!)

5 from 7 votes

Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread (with honey!)

Indulge in the perfect blend of sweet and tangy with this chocolate chip sourdough bread with honey! This unique twist on artisan bread is baked to perfection with the most delectable texture and flavor.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Proofing time1

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate chip sourdough bread

Servings: loaf

Calories: 181kcal

Equipment

Dutch oven or cast iron
Food scale
Mixing bowl
dough or bench scraper
Parchment paper

Ingredients

500 grams bread flour
350 grams filtered water
70 grams sourdough starter active and bubbly
21 grams honey (optional: add an extra 21 grams for a sweeter dough)
10 grams salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips of your choice

Instructions

Mix the dough

To your mixing bowl add the water and dissolve the honey and sourdough starter in it by mixing it with a fork.
Next, add the bread flour and mix until all the flour has absorbed the water (the salt is intetionally being left out).
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 45 minutes.

Add the salt & chocolate chips

After the dough has rested, add the salt and chocolate chips in. Sprinkle the salt first and dimple it in the dough. Next, add your chocolate chips to the center of the dough and fold them in repetitively.
Lastly, work the dough into a smooth ball slapping it against the bowl for 3-5 minutes.
Once complete, cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and folds

After the dough has rested, perform your first stretch and fold to strengthen the dough.
Gather a portion of the dough, lift it a few inches, and stretch it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and do this to all 4 quadrants of the dough.
Once complete, cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Perform 2 more stretch and folds in 30-minute increments totaling 3 stretch and folds & allow the dough to rest for the remaining bulk rise.

Pre-shape the dough

Once the bulk fermentation has been completed, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Using your hands or bench scraper create a round shape. Then, cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

Final shaping

After the dough has rested, sprinkle some flour over the surface of the dough and flip the dough over so the flour side is now on the work surface.
Using the envelope-style shaping method, fold the top of the dough to the center, the left side to the center, the right side over the left side, and the bottom of the dough to the center.
Flip the dough back over and tighten the shape using your hands. Gently push the dough towards yourself and make circular motions to tighten the seams.
Once the desired shape has been achieved, place the dough in a linen-lined lightly floured bowl seam side up and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator overnight (8-15 hours).

Score and bake

The following morning, 30 minutes before you get ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F with the baking pan in the oven.
Remove the dough from the fridge and invert the bowl onto a piece of parchment paper.
Score the dough using a lame or sharp knife. Score 1 line down the middle, and cross it with a second line resembling a cross.
Place the dough in the pan using the parchment paper and bake covered for 30 minutes.
Then decrease the temperature to 425 degrees F and bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes.
Allow the bread to cool for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing it.
Chocolate chip sourdough bread with honey lasts for 3 days in an airtight container or bread bag of your choice.

Notes

Baker's schedule: feed your starter the evening before, mix the dough in the morning, and place it in the refrigerator overnight to bake for the following morning.

Fermentation times: The dough requires 7-9 hours of fermentation time around 70 degrees F, If your environment is colder or warmer than this you may need to make some adjustments. Watch the dough, not the clock.

Nutrition